Kal Skirata
"He cared what happened to us. He ''was one of us, pretty much. Not just there because he couldn't cope with not being in the army anymore, or had to disappear. No, he was a good man." : ―RC-1309src '''Kal Skirata', born Falin Mattran—sometimes called Kal'buir(Mando'a for "Papa Kal") by the clone commandos that he trained— was a Human male Mandalorian instructor who trained clonecommandos in the Grand Army of the Republic during the time of the Separatist Crisis. After being orphaned, he was adopted by Munin Skirata. As Skirata grew up, he became the husband of Ilippi Skirata, the biological father of Tor, Ijaat, and Ruusaan Skirata. He would also become the adopted buir of Omega Squad and the Null-class Advanced Recon Commandos, RC-1136 of Omega Squad, and Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Mukan, and ex-jedi Knight Bardan Jusik. He was also the adopted grandfather of Venku Skirata. Biography Life as a Mandalorian : "Ke nu'jurkadir sha Mando'ade…" : ―Kal Skirata to Qibbu. Don't mess with Mandalorianssrc Falin Mattran was born on the planet of Kuat, the son of a Kuat Drive Yards engineer and his wife. When Mattran was around 6 years old, his family had moved to Surcaris because his father was contracted to do some engineering on the KDY warships that were stationed there. War had broken out on Surcaris shorty after the Mattran family had arrived on the planet, and Falin was orphaned when both of his parents were killed. The only thing he had salvaged from his father's body was a three-sided knife, and because he was alone after his parents died, he trained himself how to use it, eventually getting to the point where he could hit any target he threw the knife at. After surviving for a year in the war-torn rubble of Surcaris on his own, Mattran was discovered by a Mandalorian named Munin Skirata, whom he had promptly attacked with his father's knife. Munin was amused by the attack rather than angry, and decided to adopt Mattran into his Mandalorian clan, renaming him "Kal Skirata"—with "Kal" meaning "Blade" in Mando'a1—and took it upon himself to train young Kal. Skirata later married a non-Mandalorian, Ilippi, with whom he had three children: Tor, Ijaat, and Ruusaan. However, she had trouble dealing with his long absences and refused to allow him to take their eight-year-old sons into battle with him, per Mandalorian tradition. Ilippi eventually left him, taking with her all three children. Early in his career as a mercenary, his ankle was shattered by a Verpine shatter gun due to his failure to follow an order. The injury would later become a grievance for most of his career, only being healed after his adopted clone sons forced him to undergo surgery. When Jango Fett was recruiting the Cuy'val Dar, Kal was recruited due to fellow Cuy'val Dar, Walon Vau's recommendation. He and Jango went back a long way, and had an up and down relationship. Kal was a very aggressive Mandalorian traditionalist and was devoted to the welfare of his troops. When Ilippi died, Kal's sons tried to find him, to let him know. However, because of the extreme secrecy surrounding the existence of the clone army, he could not contact them and after they couldn't find him to come to their mother's funeral, they parentally divorced him. This was something that was considered a great disgrace among Mandalorians, but Kal felt that it was worth it, for the safety of the clones he had now become quite attached to.2 Training clones "I can train them." ―Kal Skirata the first time he sees the Nullssrc Eight years before the Battle of Geonosis, Kal was brought to Kamino when he answered Jango Fett's call for trainers for the clones, joining the ranks of the Cuy'val Dar—literally "Those Who No Longer Exist" in the Mandalorian tongue. He was disgusted with the Kaminoans' arrogance and indifferent attitude toward the "reconditioning" (a euphemism that often meant killing) of clone children who didn't pass quality control standards.3 Kal first met the Nulls when the Kaminoan technicians considered them failures that would be destroyed. Null-11 and Null-7 attempted to defend themselves and their brothers with Null-7 stealing the hold out blaster Kal kept within his boot, and Null-11 aiming at Kaminoan, Orun Wa. Though Kal cared little for the fate of the Kaminoan scientist, he managed to talk Null-11 down for fear of repercussions toward the boy.3 Kal became sympathetic to the clones, and took the Nulls under his wing, giving them names and training them personally, instilling the heritage and values of the Mandalorians in them. The Nulls, in return, were very fond of Kal, and would only answer to or accept orders from him alone. He also formed alliances and contacts with many other Cuy'val Darwhile there, forming a "closer" relationship with Walon Vau, Wad'e Tay'haai, Mij Gilamar, Rav Bralor, Dred Priest, and many other Mandalorians.2 Clone Wars The War Begins : "Enlist me in the Grand Army of the Republic and give me back my lads." : ―Kal Skirata to Jedi General Iri Camassrc With the Battle of Geonosis, Kal's contract as a Cuy'val Dar was finally over. But when the battle was won and the Null ARCs were expected to be put into stasis, they resisted and took control of an entire barracks block. Skirata had to be called in under willing CSF arrest to help calm down the Nulls, but he helped on the condition that he would be re-enlisted in the Grand Army of the Republic and there would be no punishment for the Nulls.4 Personality : "You can fight ice-cold or you can fight red-hot. Kal fights hot. It's his weakness." : ―Walon Vausrc Skirata felt that it was his absolute duty to let the clones of Jango Fett know their Mandalorian legacy; Boba Fett viewed him as a fanatic. When Skirata found out that Etain Tur-Mukan was pregnant with Venku, he was more than willing to take the baby from his mother and even hunt her down, to achieve his goal. He had no qualms about torturing prisoners, and Fett considered him one of the dirtiest fighters. A complex man, Skirata disliked many of the things that the Kaminoans did to the clones, and was deeply disturbed by the treatment of his "boys". He was able to smuggle in treats and other restricted things for the clones, and wanted them to embrace their Mandalorian heritage. He also hated living on the water world of Kamino, as it made his shattered ankle play up. The Kaminoans also unnerved him, and irritated him with questions about how he felt being "defective". Kal had only ever felt sorry for one Kaminoan; a female who had given birth to a child with green eyes. Due to the fact that the Kaminoan caste system was based around the eye colors of gray, blue and yellow, the child had been labeled as a threat to the Kaminoan's ordered society, and had been exterminated shortly after birth. He also had serious differences with Walon Vau (differences which bordered on outright hatred), as he felt Vau was sadistic toward the clone troopers (a source of contention was when Vau sicced his pet strill, Lord Mirdalan, on a young Ordo). Despite these differences, Vau and Skirata were constant business partners and even friends later on. Skirata had some issues with the Jedi Generals. He especially hated Jedi Master Quinlan Vos for openly distrusting the clones. He also hated the fact that while Ki-Adi-Mundi had a polygamous marriage, while his daughter-in-law Etain would at best be demoted to the Agricultural Corps if evidence of her relationship with Darman surfaced. A surprising aspect of his nature, given his line of work, was his emotionalism. He felt constant guilt for the condition of the clones as slave soldiers, and hated the Jedi Order and the Republic for betraying their principles of freedom and democracy when it was convenient for them. Despite that, he remained with the Republic up until Order 66 so that he could look after the welfare of the Nulls and his commandos. Also, ironic for a mercenary, Kal Skirata was easily seasick, and felt queasy at the sight of painful wounds and copious amounts of blood. Juxtaposing his hatred of the Jedi was his ability to uncompromisingly, unconditionally love those close to him, such as the Nulls, his commando soldiers, Bardan Jusik, and anybody else in Clan Skirata. Skirata, despite his short stature – it was said that he had to stand on a box to head-butt Walon Vau – was an extremely lethal fighter and Jango Fett considered him to be "one of the dirtiest fighters." The armor Skirata wore was colored sand gold - the color of revenge.2 Equipment : Skirata: "We ''Mando boys like to show we've been in action. Anyway, this is top-grade beskar—full density, two percent ciridium, no fancy lamination or carbon-alloy." : '''Vollen': "Does all that mean it's heavy?" : Skirata: "Yeah. Very heavy. Heavy is best." : Vollen: "Explains why you're so short then." : ―Kal Skirata, explaining his armor to Nyreen Vollen.src Kal Skirata's sand gold colored Mandalorian armor was a top grade version made of Mandalorian iron. He always wore his gauntlets, even when not wearing the rest of his armor. One of his gauntlets carried a comlink. He also carried his father's three-sided knife on his gauntlet. Kal was very fond of Verpine weapons and often carried a Verpine shatter gun. He also used a custom Verpine sniper rifle and a Westar-34 blaster. Kal often carried a length of sharpened durasteel chain with him to use as a garrote.2 Despite his dislike for the weapon, during the skirmish on the Shinarcan Bridge Extension, Kal used (borrowed) Bardan Jusik's lightsaber to kill at least two Jedi in revenge for the death of Etain Tur-Mukan.